


Danger Lives In Me

by MelanatedRavenclaw



Category: Naruto
Genre: Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Physical Abuse, M/M, Protective Hatake Kakashi, injured umino iruka, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-18 16:35:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29121300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelanatedRavenclaw/pseuds/MelanatedRavenclaw
Summary: Despite the fact Iruka is now a target for Kakashi's enemies, he still wouldn't trade their relationship for anything in the world. Now, all he has to do is convince Kakashi of this.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Umino Iruka
Comments: 9
Kudos: 147





	Danger Lives In Me

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was inspired by the song Peace by Taylor Swift. This is my second fic surrounding this song (can you tell it's my favorite?). Anyway, this is dedicated to [mytsukkishine](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mytsukkishine/pseuds/mytsukkishine), because I would not have written this if she hadn't encouraged me! 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy :)

_ I never had the courage of my convictions  
As long as danger is near  
And it's just around the corner, darling  
'Cause it lives in me  
No, I could never give you peace _

Iruka tried to flex his wrist but stopped as the stabbing pain almost made him lose his breath. He wasn’t sure what type of jutsu he was hit with, but he had been immobilized for a while. He continued to assess his injuries. It wasn’t as bad as it could have been, all things considered. He was sure he had broken a rib. He didn’t have enough chakra to heal himself, but he knew Yamato would probably be healing him soon.

Taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes to see the light from the flames. To his surprise, Kakashi was here and was talking to Yamato. From his perspective, it looked like the two of them were arguing.

Iruka kept his eyes trained on Kakashi the entire time. It had been so long since he’d seen him. He had been on a mission for the past two weeks and then, well Iruka had been abducted. The last thing he remembered was staying late at the school to finish up some grading and when he woke up he was in a dark, musty room. 

He didn’t get to see much of his captors as their faces were covered the entire time he was with them. They never gave their names, but they also didn’t hide the fact they were enemies of Kakashi that were out for revenge. 

Kakashi had taken the life of their lovers and they wanted to return the favor.

Iruka had been there for maybe three days when Yamato arrived to his rescue.

His injuries had been worse for wear and so they had needed to make camp. He had passed out after consuming very little food so seeing Kakashi was a bit of a surprise. 

The two of them seemed to realize he was awake. Kakashi was immediately at his side. 

“Iruka, you’re awake. How are you feeling?”

“I’m hanging in there,” his voice was hoarse from disuse, “when did you get here?”

Kakashi reached for his hand, his touch gentle, but the pressure caused Iruka to shrink his hand back in pain with a hiss.

Kakashi’s visible eye hardened at the sound and he stood up. 

“Kakashi?” Iruka called to him, but it was as if Kakashi was deaf to his pleas.

Kakashi walked up to Yamato, “You have one minute to tell me where you found him.”

“Senpai, please. Don’t do something you’ll regret.”

Iruka couldn’t see Kakashi’s face, but he could just imagine the determined look in his eyes.

“30 seconds.”

“Senpai…Kakashi. What are you going to do them?”

“Nothing less than they deserve, now tell me where are they?”

Yamato remained silent as if contemplating if he should send the men to what would definitely be an early death. 

Kakashi apparently didn’t plan to wait around. Iruka watched as he summoned all of his ninken. 

“What do you want us to do boss?” Pakkun asked him.

“Hunt them down.”

His voice was like ice. It made Iruka’s blood run cold. 

Pakkun nodded and they all took off. 

Iruka took in Kakashi, his posture was rigid and his hands were balled in a fist. 

“Kakashi, please,” Iruka whispered, hoping to get his attention. If he could just get Kakashi to look at him. 

Kakashi’s back stiffened, but still, he didn’t turn.

“I’m fine, Kakashi. You don’t have to get revenge. I just want you to be here.”

Kakashi finally turned to him. It wasn’t a cold, emotionless expression on his face that Iruka was expecting. No, instead, the face looking back at him was pained, hurt. It was full of anguish and Iruka wanted nothing more than to wipe that look from his face forever. 

“I’ll be back soon. I just need to do this.”

Then he was gone. 

Iruka closed his eyes, he could hear Yamato saying something but whether it was to him or Kakashi, he did not know. Nor did he care. 

“Sensei, let me heal you.”

Yamato’s voice was close now. Iruka opened his eyes to see him sitting in front of him. 

Iruka just nodded unable to speak. His body may have been present, but his mind was with Kakashi. 

The look on his face had told Iruka more than words ever could. 

Kakashi felt guilty. 

He knew there was nothing he could say to ebb the pain of the guilt Kakashi felt. He also knew Kakashi’s guilt would only increase if he took his revenge out on those men. 

Iruka sighed with relief as Yamato’s medical ninjutsu began to take effect. 

“Do you think you can eat more food?”

Iruka shook his head no at the question, “What now?”

“Now, we wait for Senpai to return. I’m sure he’ll find them soon enough. You can rest up and then we can leave in the morning.”

Iruka settled back against the log he was on. He wanted to stay awake and wait until Kakashi returned but he could feel sleep reaching for him. It wouldn’t be long before he succumbed to its embrace. 

Iruka woke sometime later, the fire was still going but was smaller now. His head was no longer on the semi-damp ground. Instead, he was on something softer, warmer. He felt hands go through his hair, causing a shiver to go through his body. 

Twisting, he looked up to see Kakashi staring back at him. Iruka lifted his hands to trace the bag under his visible eye. He looked exhausted. 

“Kakashi?”

“Hmm,” Kakashi continued his ministrations with Iruka’s hair. 

“Are you in pain?” Kakashi asked him. 

“No, I’m not. Yamato healed me. What about you?”

“What about me?”

“Are you in pain?”

Kakashi turned away from him. 

“Define pain.”

“You don’t need me to define pain,” Iruka said softly. He looked around but didn’t see Yamato anywhere. He must have left to give them some privacy. 

Kakashi remained silent. Iruka lifted his head off Kakashi’s lap so he could sit in front of him. 

“Iruka,” Kakashi’s voice was strained, “I’m so sorry.”

“Oh, Kakashi. It’s not your fault.”

Kakashi’s eye was rimmed red as he looked at Iruka. 

“Iruka, don’t do that. You don’t have to lie to make me feel better. This only happened because of me.”

“No,” Iruka was adamant, “this happened because of them. Because those two men were hurt and they wanted to hurt someone else. You are not responsible for their actions.”

“You could have been killed.”

“Could have, but I wasn’t.”

“No, you weren’t this time. But, what about next time? Iruka…I can’t…I don’t know what I would do if you…”

Iruka wrapped his arms around Kakashi’s neck. He could feel the man’s warm breath on his cheek. 

“Hey, I’m stronger than I look.”

Kakashi’s soft chuckle lifted the weight in Iruka’s heart some. His words having the intended effect. 

“Don’t I know it.”

“So, what are you worried about?”

Kakashi was silent and Iruka didn’t make a move to break the silence. He knew Kakashi would speak when he was ready. 

“I don’t want you to leave me.”

Iruka took a deep breath. He knew words were meaningless and that it was actions that really mattered, but he couldn’t think of a way to show him that he was serious. At least, not at the moment.

“Kakashi, I —” 

Kakashi cut him off, speaking frantically, “You deserve better than this. You deserve someone that doesn’t have my history, my scars, and a bingo book entry. You deserve peace.”

“Kakashi,” Iruka tried again, “I knew about all of this when I met you. I knew that I was flirting with danger, but I didn’t care then and I don’t care now. Being with you is worth all of this and more.”

“Iruka.”

“Kakashi,” Iruka repeated with a small smile.

“Do you know what I did to those men?”

Dropping his smile, Iruka looked him in the eye. “I don’t think you killed them.”

“No? Why don’t you think so? Why are you so sure? I killed their lovers after all.”

“Yes, but I’m sure you did that to protect the village. I know you Kakashi, you would never just kill someone that didn’t deserve it in cold blood.”

Kakashi squeezed his eyes shut as if Iruka’s words were too much to handle. 

“I didn’t do it.”

Iruka nodded but remained silent.

“But, I wanted to. Gods did I want to, Iruka. It’s not as if I left them unscathed either.”

Kakashi took a deep breath before starting again, “As soon as I got back to the village, I went to your place but you weren’t there. I figured you were at the school, so I went to check in with Tsunade first. That was when she told me what happened. I knew Yamato was already on his way to you, but I went anyway…I couldn’t just…I needed to make sure you were alright.”

“Hmm.”

“I may not have killed them, but I know if I had found you first, instead of Yamato, I probably would have.”

“Even if you had, it wouldn’t make you any less worthy of my love in my eyes.”

The silence stretched out between them. There was both so much to say and also nothing to say. 

He could understand where Kakashi was coming from, but he meant what he said. He knew the consequences of being with someone like Kakashi and he didn’t care. It wasn’t like if they cut off contact he would be any safer. There were many that knew of his relationship with Naruto and would pursue him because of that. Even knowing that, he would never trade his relationship with Naruto. Similarly, he wouldn’t trade his relationship with Kakashi.

Kakashi’s yawn brought him back to reality. 

“When was the last time you slept?” He asked the jounin with a slight frown, sure he wasn’t going to like the response.

“Maa. You don’t want to know.”

Iruka rolled his eyes, he could imagine it was over 48 hours.

“Sleep. Where is Yamato? I can keep watch until he returns.”

Kakashi shook his head, “He’s around. You can sleep if you want. M’not tired.”

His yawn at the end of the sentence revealed the lie in his statement. 

Iruka chuckled, “C’mon, you really should at least rest your eyes for a few hours.”

“Don’t want to.”

“Hey, I promise you nothing will happen to me if you close your eyes.”

Kakashi’s eye turned to him and his hand tightly grasped Iruka’s, “Promise?”

“I promise, I’ll be here when you wake up.”

Iruka gave his hand a light squeeze and adjusted so Kakashi could be the one to rest his head on Iruka’s lap. Reversing their earlier positions. 

“Iruka, I am sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” Iruka repeated. He would repeat this for as long as Kakashi needed to hear it. 

Iruka leaned down to press a light kiss to the man’s mask covered lips. 

“Get some sleep. I’ll be right here.”

He watched as Kakashi closed his visible eye, it wasn’t long until his breath evened out. 

When Yamato returned, he found the two of them curled up together sleeping soundly. He quickly built a wooden cabin around them, using his jutsu, before tending to the fire. He tried not to disturb them knowing they both just needed some peace. 

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think!


End file.
